AHPETC Saga – Action should be taken over AHPETC’s ‘egregious conduct’: Shanmugam

TODAY reports: Law Minister K Shanmugam says the High Court made it clear that the Housing and Development Board and residents have the right to apply for court action against the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council.

SINGAPORE: The High Court judgment on Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) underscores the fact that the “egregious conduct” of the Workers’ Party-run town council should be acted on, said Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Thursday (May 28).

Mr Shanmugam, who also stood by his previous comment that the town council’s conduct was “unlawful”, was speaking a day after the court rejected the Ministry of National Development’s (MND) application to appoint independent accountants to oversee government grants to AHPETC.

“The judge was scathing about the town councillors and their conduct. He said that the chairman of the WP misled Parliament. It is very serious to lie in Parliament. He said that the conduct was possibly criminal, and that the residents and Housing and Development Board (HDB) can sue them,” he said to reporters today.

Mr Shanmugam said the Attorney-General’s Chambers will be advising the MND on its next steps. “If this were to happen to a People’s Action Party town council, what do you think Singaporeans would be asking? If this were to happen to a public company, what do you think the shareholders would be saying?…Is the Government responsible if it just keeps quiet in the face of a judgment from the Supreme Court that says all these things?” he asked.

“(The judge’s) view was that the wording in the (Town Council Act) is HDB and the residents, and not MND, who can bring such an action. And that is something the Attorney-General will advise us on, as to whether it is the correct interpretation, and what they should do about it,” Mr Shanmugam added.

In his judgment released yesterday, Justice Quentin Loh had ruled that the ministry had not established the legal bases for such an order, but he noted that “there are grave and serious questions” in AHPETC’s conduct relating to its books and the validity and propriety of payments previously made to related parties.

What Singaporeans Say?

Edmund SimMND failed in having an enforcement in their Town Council Act but that shouldnt stop the proper parties such as HDB or residents to bring case against AHPETC.· 31 ·Likes

Joseph TanWell,MND initial never say WP wrong.PAP never say WP wrong.They post queries, they post doubts, to WP. However, it was WP who ignore, avoid, keep twisting their words, etc. Resulting MND has to go to court.But hey! Judge say no to indepedent accountant but!!! Judge say the residents can choose to take legal action! Judge also admit that what happen in AHPETC is really disappointing and questionable.Please la.. Answer to residents in AHPETC. Be man enough to answer for your responsibility.· 26 ·Likes

Jaro GeeI think even the opposition supporters need to open up their ears and listen. This is public money unaccounted for. There is a problem and WP is the cause.· 26 · Likes

Jason Chua Chin SengAHPeTC’s lawyer Mr Peter Low cited a 1988 parliamentary speech by then National Development Minister S. Dhanabalan saying that the Government would not bail out a town council even if “a bunch of crooks” emptied its coffers to suggest that the government and the courts cannot do anything to WP. He is right.· 13 ·Likes

Tan JherylWP please open up and be accountable! What are you hiding? Be a responsible opposition party, don’t let residents who voted you like myself disappointed!· 20 ·Likes

Sang Pok ChungWP framed it as political persecution, now they have nothing to say but to quickly clean up the act by answering to their residents. The whole saga is far from over because HDB and residents can still due the town council · 11 · Likes

Joseph TanActually.. Why even opposition supporter never realize.. Did they support blindly?If WP never do wrong!! They will always scream, shout, debate, argue.. This time why so quiet? · 14 · Likes

Jason Chua Chin SengJudge already say, nothing to stop MND to set conditions of appointing an independent Accountant as conditions to disburse the MND grants. AHPeTC can take it or leave it. But Sylvia having issuing various statement denying she ever said AHPeTC do not need the MND grants, it would be a travesty and very irresponsible to the residents if she continues to play politics to deny MND’s offer. Unless of cos her denial was also a “suppressio veri, suggestio falsi”….AHPeTC has NO CASH flow PrOBLEM · 13 ·Likes

Jude TanI have said this before. If the WP had nothing to hide, by all means open their books and clear the air once and for all. I think most folk outside of the die hard supporters on from both political parties are by and large fair. But time and again the WP has chosen to remain ominously silent, which does nothing to ease the concern of the average Joe. · 10 · Likes

Jason Chua Chin Seng#sylvialogic = #trslogic = #alextanlogic = never tell the whole truth. Half truth is designed to mislead without lying. Sylvia lied abt making transfer to the sinking fund. The judge said ” I find the Latin phrase, suppressio veri, suggestio falsi (suppression of the truth is equivalent to the suggestion of what is false) particularly apt to this statement of Ms Lim’s.” ~ Justice Loh. · 7 · Likes

Joshua YakA lack of legal basis prevents a proper audit from taking place. And which the Judge can only comment on but with no power to enforce. Our town council act was written on the basis that all Singapore politicians will be honest, transparent, and to lead with integrity. Sadly this episode has shown us that not all elected Singaporean leaders, have the best interest of the people in mind. AHPETC has been a showcase of what incompetent people will do… · 6 · Likes